Okay! A nerve-ending beginning to what can be promised to be a closely-fought series. West Indies started as favourites, piled on a big total but were poor with the ball, which allowed Sri Lanka to fight back, before a harakiri nearly saw the game slip away. How will the second ODI pan out? Join us on Wednesday, 26th February 2020, at 2.30 pm local (0900 GMT). ADIOS! TAKE CARE!

Victorious Sri Lankan captain, Dimuth Karunaratne accepts that there is plenty to learn from this match - especially batting in the middle overs and not throwing starts away. Is happy with his spinners in the middle overs but understands that leaking 90-odd runs in the last 10 overs is a concern, which needs to be worked out. On the run chase, Karunaratne says that both he and Avishka got a decent start but both got out after getting a half century. Hopes to capitalize in the next game, if the same situation arises. States that many players were happy to play an ODI. Thanks the crowd for turning in large numbers and expects a similar response in Hambantota.

West Indian skipper, Kieron Pollard, admits that it was a good game, since it went till the last wicket and the last over and credits the Lankans for the win. Agrees that they got a slow start with the bat but is happy with the acceleration towards the end. Praises Shai Hope for batting well, along with Roston Chase and Darren Bravo. But rues that the middle overs set them back, as they could not quite accelerate, in spite of the foundation laid, from where they could have got to 320-350. On having the guts to bowl the leg spinner Hayden Walsh when Thisara Perera was going well, Pollard says that he backed his leggie as Perera can hit you for runs but also give you his wicket. Overall, he laments the poor show with the ball, which had no discipline.

WANINDU HASARANGA HAS BEEN NAMED THE MAN OF THE MATCH for his batting cameo. Says that when he came out to bat, they needed 60-70 runs and he felt that if he could bat till the end, he could take the side home. Admits that he was under pressure but he believed that if he stayed at the crease for a while, it would get easier for him.

Earlier in the day, a Shai Hope century helped the Windies get to a commanding 289/7, thanks to cameos from Keemo Paul and Hayden Walsh as well. Both teams needed one set batsman to bat through, with new batters finding it difficult to score quickly. West Indies had Hope, Sri Lanka had no hope when Udana fell, but eventually, canny Hasaranga took them through. Also, Sri Lanka were very disciplined with the extras - just 4 wides and 1 bye. West Indies conceded 14 wides and 1 no ball. Please stay tuned for the presentation...

West Indies got a good total on the board but the bowling was very average. They let the openers off the hook with some very loose deliveries and no one actually looked like taking wickets. The Lankans were playing them with ease and it was when the soft dismissals started to happen, that the wickets' column started to get filled. Alzarri Joseph finished with a tally of 3 wickets while Keemo Paul bagged 2. But Sheldon Cottrell went for a shade too many and that perhaps, was the difference in the end. None of the other bowlers could exert any control.

Not a batting scorecard Sri Lanka would be proud of. Too many starts, too many soft dismissals. The openers got off to a terrific start, adding 111, only to throw it away. That opened the door for the Windies, who had been ordinary till then, to pick wickets at consistent levels. Batsmen came in, batsmen went out and the saga of rash cricket continued. Till Wanindu Hasaranga took it upon himself. Sri Lanka needed 28 from 27 balls when Isuru Udana became the 8th victim - but calm and cool Wanindu Hasaranga steered the ship home.

Phew. What a game. Right down to the wire. Sri Lanka have a new hero - Wanindu Hasaranga. A cameo of an unbeaten 42 from 39 balls, in a tensed situation, where Sri Lanka had nearly snatched defeat from the jaws of victory. A 1-0 series lead it is for the Lankans and this is now the HIGHEST SUCCESSFUL ODI RUN CHASE AT THE SSC.

Nuwan Pradeep is the last man in. But he does not need to bat. All he needs is to run, if necessary. Hasaranga will be on strike.

Is that a run out? Referred upstairs. Yes, Sandakan is safe.

Direct hit! Has Hasaranga got back in time? Referred upstairs. Yes, the batsman is just in.